A Cross-Sectional Study on Health Insurance Coverage among The Aging Population

The aging population is a global phenomenon, with the number of people aged 60 and above reaching 1.05 billion in 2020, representing ‎‎13.46% of the world's total population. This trend is expected to continue, with the population of older adults projected to reach 1.41 billion ‎‎(16.46%) by 2030 and over 2 billion (22%) by 2050. In India, the elderly population is growing rapidly, with the number of people aged 60 ‎and above expected to reach 324 million by 2050 (India Aging, Elderly to Make up 20% of Population by 2050: UNFPA Report, n.d.). ‎However, health insurance coverage among the elderly population in India is poor, with estimates indicating that less than 1% of the elderly ‎population has health insurance. This lack of coverage is more pronounced in developing cities like Chennai, where health insurance penetration is below 3%. In light of this background, the current study assesses health insurance coverage among the aging population in Chen-nai. Additionally, the study identifies factors associated with health insurance coverage among the elderly in Chennai. A household survey ‎was conducted among people aged 60 and above, with a sample size of 120 in Chennai. The principal investigator collected responses ‎through the interview schedule method. The results of the study revealed that 70% of the elderly respondents are dependent on their offspring. Of the 52.5% who have health insurance coverage, 56% are covered by private insurance, with the majority (60%) of these being ‎employee-sponsored plans. Despite 58% of respondents suffering from chronic health issues, only 51% of this group are insured. A significant portion of the population remains uninsured, primarily due to a lack of awareness (39%). Additionally, 70% of the respondents regularly utilize healthcare services for checkups and outpatient department (OPD) care. Based on these key findings, a model has been developed to highlight the reasons for being uninsured, the challenges the aging population faces in obtaining insurance, the available options, and strategies to bridge the coverage gap. This model serves as an important takeaway for insurance providers and policymakers, emphasizing the need to educate the public to improve insurance coverage.